INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, NONVOLATILE STORAGE DEVICE, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND NONVOLATILE MEMORY CONTROLLER

• US 20110231690A1
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: HONDA, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,007,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/147 Voltage reference generators, voltage or current regulators; Internally lowered supply levels; Compensation for voltage drops G11C5/141 takes precedence

Abstract

A host device includes a voltage source which is connected to a voltage line via a host voltage switch and which supplies a first voltage to the voltage line, a host regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs the first voltage or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage, a host IO driver for driving a data line with the output of the host regulator as a power source, a host voltage detection circuit for detecting whether the voltage of the data line is the second voltage or a voltage that is higher than the second voltage, and a host control unit for detecting a mismatch of interface voltages between the host device and a memory card based on the output voltage of the host regulator and the detection result of the host voltage detection circuit.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus connected to a nonvolatile storage device via a voltage line for supplying a power source to the nonvolatile storage device, a clock line for supplying a clock signal to the nonvolatile storage device, and one or more data lines at least one of which is pulled up by the nonvolatile storage device and which are used for bidirectionally communicating data signals with the nonvolatile storage device, comprising:

a voltage switch;

a voltage source which is connected to the voltage line via the voltage switch and which supplies a predetermined first voltage to the voltage line;

a regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs the first voltage or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage when the first voltage is applied;

an input/output driver for driving the clock line and the data line with the output of the regulator as a power source;

a voltage detection circuit for detecting whether a voltage of the data line is the second voltage, or a voltage that is higher than the second voltage; and

a control unit for detecting whether a drive voltage of the information processing apparatus and a drive voltage of the nonvolatile storage device are different based on an output voltage of the regulator and a detection result of the voltage detection circuit.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage detection circuit detects the voltage of the data line after the information processing apparatus applies a voltage to the nonvolatile storage device and before the information processing apparatus reads data stored in the nonvolatile storage device in a nonvolatile manner.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control unit controls the pull-up or non-pull-up of the data line in the nonvolatile storage device.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the data line is pulled up inside the information processing apparatus.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the pull-up or non-pull-up of the data line in the nonvolatile storage device is controlled.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage detection circuit detects whether the voltage of the data line is lower than the first voltage when the output voltage of the regulator is the first voltage.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein, when the output voltage of the regulator is the first voltage and the voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the data line is lower than the first voltage, the control unit switches the output of the regulator from the first voltage to the second voltage.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage detection circuit detects whether the voltage of the data line is higher than the second voltage when the output voltage of the regulator is the second voltage.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein, when the output voltage of the regulator is the second voltage and the voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the data line is higher than the second voltage, the control unit switches the output of the regulator from the second voltage to the first voltage.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein, when the output voltage of the regulator is the second voltage and the voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the data line is higher than the second voltage, the information processing apparatus controls the nonvolatile storage device and causes the nonvolatile storage device to switch the interface drive voltage from the first voltage to the second voltage.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the voltage switch is configured to be able to switch the connection with the voltage line to the voltage source or a ground line.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein, when the output voltage of the regulator is the first voltage and the voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the data line is lower than the first voltage, the voltage switch once switches the connection of the voltage line and connects the voltage line to the ground line, and thereafter switches the connection of the voltage line and reconnects the voltage line to the voltage source.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the information processing apparatus reads data stored in the nonvolatile storage device in a nonvolatile manner after the control unit confirms that the voltage of the data line and the output voltage of the regulator are the same.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the input/output driver recognizes a high level of the second voltage to be a high level when the first voltage is being supplied as the drive voltage.

15. An information processing system, comprising:

the information processing apparatus according to claim 1; and

a nonvolatile storage device capable of reading and writing data from the information processing apparatus.

16. A nonvolatile storage device connected to an information processing apparatus via a voltage line for supplying a power source from the information processing apparatus, a clock line for supplying a clock signal from the information processing apparatus, and one or more communication lines capable of bidirectionally communicating signals with the information processing apparatus, comprising:

a nonvolatile memory capable of storing data in a nonvolatile manner;

a card regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs a first voltage supplied from the information processing apparatus or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage;

a card input/output driver for driving the communication line with the output of the card regulator as a power source;

a card voltage detection circuit for detecting whether a voltage of the communication line is the second voltage, or a voltage that is higher than the second voltage; and

a card control unit for detecting whether a drive voltage of the information processing apparatus and a drive voltage of the nonvolatile storage device are different based on an output voltage of the card regulator and a detection result of the card voltage detection circuit.

17. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 16,

wherein the card voltage detection circuit detects whether the voltage of the communication line is lower than the first voltage when the output voltage of the card regulator is the first voltage.

18. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 17,

wherein, when the output voltage of the card regulator is the first voltage and the card voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the communication line is lower than the first voltage, the card control unit switches the output of the card regulator from the first voltage to the second voltage.

19. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 17,

wherein, when the output voltage of the card regulator is the first voltage and the card voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the communication line is lower than the first voltage, the card control unit prohibits the reading and writing of data from the information processing apparatus to the nonvolatile storage device.

20. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 16,

wherein the card voltage detection circuit detects whether the voltage of the communication line is higher than the second voltage when the output voltage of the card regulator is the second voltage.

21. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 20,

wherein, when the output voltage of the card regulator is the second voltage and the card voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the communication line is higher than the second voltage, the card control unit switches the output of the card regulator from the second voltage to the first voltage.

22. The nonvolatile storage device according to claim 20,

wherein, when the output voltage of the card regulator is the second voltage and the card voltage detection circuit detects that the voltage of the communication line is higher than the second voltage, the card control unit prohibits the reading and writing of data from the information processing apparatus to the nonvolatile storage device.

23. A nonvolatile memory controller for use in the nonvolatile storage device according to claim 16, comprising:

the card regulator;

the card input/output driver;

the card voltage detection circuit; and

the card control unit.

24. An information processing system, comprising:

the nonvolatile storage device according to claim 16; and

an information processing apparatus for supplying voltage to the nonvolatile memory and performing reading and/or writing of data.

25. A nonvolatile storage device connected to an information processing apparatus via a voltage line for supplying a power source from the information processing apparatus, a clock line for supplying a clock signal from the information processing apparatus, and one or more communication lines capable of bidirectionally communicating signals with the information processing apparatus, comprising:

a nonvolatile memory capable of storing data in a nonvolatile manner;

a card regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs a first voltage supplied from the information processing apparatus or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage; and

a card input/output driver for driving the communication line with the output of the card regulator as a power source,

wherein, in response to a command from the information processing apparatus for acquiring information concerning an output voltage of the card regulator, the nonvolatile storage device returns information concerning the output voltage of the card regulator to the information processing apparatus.

26. An information processing apparatus connected to a nonvolatile storage device via a voltage line for supplying a power source to the nonvolatile storage device, a clock line for supplying a clock signal to the nonvolatile storage device, and one or more data lines at least one of which is pulled up by the nonvolatile storage device and which are used for bidirectionally communicating data signals with the nonvolatile storage device, comprising:

a voltage switch;

a voltage source which is connected to the voltage line via the voltage switch and which supplies a predetermined first voltage to the voltage line;

a regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs the first voltage or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage when the first voltage is applied; and

an input/output driver for driving the clock line and the data line with the output of the regulator as a power source,

wherein the information processing apparatus issues a command to the nonvolatile storage device for acquiring information of voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line, acquires information returned from the nonvolatile storage device concerning the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line, compares the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line and the output voltage of the regulator, and, if the two voltages are different, executes recovery processing of causing the output voltage of the regulator and the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line to be the same.

27. The information processing apparatus according to claim 26,

wherein the recovery processing includes processing of causing the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line to be identical to the output voltage of the regulator.

28. The information processing apparatus according to claim 26,

wherein the recovery processing includes processing of causing the output voltage of the regulator to be identical to the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line.

29. An information processing system, comprising:

a nonvolatile storage device; and

an information processing apparatus connected to the nonvolatile storage device via a voltage line for supplying a power source to the nonvolatile storage device, a clock line for supplying a clock signal to the nonvolatile storage device, and one or more data lines at least one of which is pulled up by the nonvolatile storage device and which are used for bidirectionally communicating data signals with the nonvolatile storage device,

the information processing apparatus, comprising;

a voltage switch;

a voltage source which is connected to the voltage line via the voltage switch and which supplies a predetermined first voltage to the voltage line;

a regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs the first voltage or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage when the first voltage is applied; and

an input/output driver for driving the clock line and the data line with the output of the regulator as a power source,

wherein the information processing apparatus issues a command to the nonvolatile storage device for acquiring information of voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line, acquires information returned from the nonvolatile storage device concerning the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line, compares the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line and the output voltage of the regulator, and, if the two voltages are different, executes recovery processing of causing the output voltage of the regulator and the voltage required for the nonvolatile storage device to drive the data line to be the same;

wherein the nonvolatile storage device, comprising;

a nonvolatile memory capable of storing data in a nonvolatile manner;

a card regulator which is connected to the voltage line and which outputs a first voltage supplied from the information processing apparatus or a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage; and

a card input/output driver for driving the data line with the output of the card regulator as a power source,

wherein, in response to a command from the information processing apparatus for acquiring information concerning an output voltage of the card regulator, the nonvolatile storage device returns information concerning the output voltage of the card regulator to the information processing apparatus.